Memory devices are employed as internal storage areas in a computer or other electronic equipment. One specific type of memory used to store data in a computer is random access memory (RAM). RAM is typically used as main memory in a computer environment, and is generally volatile in that once power is turned off, all data stored in the RAM is lost.
A static random access memory (SRAM) is one example of RAM. An SRAM has the advantage of holding data without a need for refreshing. A typical SRAM device includes an array of individual SRAM cells. Each SRAM cell is capable of storing a binary voltage value that represents a logical data bit (e.g., “0” or “1”). One existing configuration for a SRAM cell includes a pair of cross-coupled devices such as inverters. The inverters act as a latch that stores the data bit therein, so long as power is supplied to the memory array.
A dynamic random access memory (DRAM) is another example of a RAM. A DRAM has a memory storage array and circuitry for writing data to the storage array and reading the stored data. In a typical DRAM, data is written to and read from memory cells of the storage array by storing a high voltage or a low voltage on a storage capacitor of each memory cell. The high voltage typically represents a stored “1” and the low voltage typically represents a stored “0”, in a binary data scheme. DRAMs are volatile memory, such that data remains stored on the storage capacitors therein so long as the DRAM remains powered on and is refreshed at required intervals.
In both SRAM and DRAM, for low voltage values (i.e., approximately 0.4 volts) and low currents, there is an issue with resolving a known state (i.e., to resolve the state to a “1” or a “0”). Because of this issue, there is a need to provide more current in order to improve memory yield.